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Erik Horne joined The Oklahoman as a sports web editor/producer in September 2013, following a five-year stint at The Ardmoreite (Ardmore) – first as a sports writer, then sports editor. At The Ardmoreite, Horne reported on everything from prep sports, to rodeo, to OU pro days, to monster truck rallies.

A native of LaPlace, La. – located 25 miles west of New Orleans – Horne headed to Atlanta following high school, graduating from Oglethorpe University in 2007 as a four-year letterman in soccer. While in Atlanta, Horne worked two years as an intern then sports editor for SCORE Atlanta, providing coverage of the Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Falcons and high schools in the Atlanta metro area.

Throughout his tenure with the Oklahoma City Thunder, veteran guard Anthony Morrow has continually been a source of positivity about his Oklahoma City experience, not just to The Oklahoman, but on social media as well (see his encouraging update on Kevin Durant last week? What about his congrats to Russell Westbrook on getting the NBA Live 16 cover?)
Morrow returned to his hometown of Charlotte, N.C., as host of his own summer pro-am league (the Anthony Morrow Summer Hoops League) and sat down for an interview with Langston Wertz Jr. of the Charlotte Observer, where the sharpshooter talked about the potential for a showdown with the Golden State Warriors next season in the playoffs, the talents of Kevin Durant

Oklahoma offensive lineman Ty Darlington is not worried about the possible distraction with the return of linebacker Frank Shannon and running back Joe Mixon to the team after one-year suspensions stemming from allegations of violence against women.
In fact, he thinks it will drive the Sooners.
“I don’t think so,” Darlington said. “I think that now we’re focused, we’re ready to go. If anything, I think that we’re just motivated by everything. All of the potential distractions, I think it’s just time for us to cast them aside and focus in.”
Darlington was honored as OU’s recipient of the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete award at Tuesday’s 31st annual All Sports

For much of last season, it was Kevin Durant raining jumpers on the NBA while being proclaimed as one of the game's two best players.
But a 2014-15 season in which Durant missed 55 games due a fracture in his right foot, combined with the fervor around Golden State's Stephen Curry and Cleveland's LeBron James during the NBA Finals, has made the 2014 NBA Most Valuable Player a relative afterthought this season.
"It used to piss me off but I love it now," Durant told ESPN.com. "Just gotta show and prove. I don't deserve to be up there with them this year. Next year is a different story."
Durant had surgery on his right foot in March which will keep him out of basketball activities four to six months.

Russell Westbrook is officially "in the game."
The Oklahoma City Thunder guard is the new cover man for the long-running NBA Live video game series. EA Sports released a trailer on Tuesday with Russell Westbrook front and center, showing the 2014-15 NBA scoring champion going through the process of helping create the game. Westbrook's venture into video game poster guy follows on Kevin Durant landing the cover of NBA2K15 last year.
Now the Thunder owns all the covers. Check out the NBA Live 16 trailer video above.
Blessed to be on the cover of #NBALIVE16! The Brodie is onnnnnnnnn!!! Let’s get it @EASPORTSNBA #RiseTogether #whynot

Blake Griffin couldn't capture any of the individual honors in the NBA this year, but the former OU star isn't out of awards season yet.
Griffin is one of the few athletes nominated in two categories at the upcoming Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Sports 2015 Awards. Beginning June 8, fans van vote in 12 categories on Nick.com/sports. Trophies will be handed out live on Nickelodeon July 16 from Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles.
Griffin is nominated for the "Sickest Moves" and "Biggest Powerhouse" awards.

The Thunder assistant coach search has a new name, as former Orlando Magic coach James Borrego has reportedly been in talks with Oklahoma City about filling a spot on Billy Donovan's staff.
Borrego took over the Magic as the interim coach following the firing of Jacques Vaughn last season, leading Orlando to a 10-20 record under his watch. The Magic hired Scott Skiles earlier this week as its new head coach.
Borrego is from the San Antonio Spurs coaching tree - spending seven seasons working under Gregg Popovich from 2003-10 in roles ranging from assistant video coordinator to assistant coach – and was a part of two NBA championship teams (2005, 2007). He also has experience with Monty Williams, the former New Orleans Pelicans coach who has reportedly agreed to come to the Thunder to become Billy Donovan's lead assistant.
Borrego was an assistant under Williams for two seasons in New Orleans, and the two also worked together as assistants in San Antonio, where Thunder general manager Sam Presti was a member of the front office.

Oklahoma State’s athletic department revealed the design for its annual fan shirt on Tuesday. The shirt design was decided by an online vote of OSU fans and is available starting Aug. 1 from any Nike retailer that carries OSU apparel. What do you think? Orange or black?

No. 0 and No. 35 have become synonymous in the NBA for Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, respectively. Not convinced? Well, vintage sports apparel company Mitchell and Ness created a list of the best players to wear each number in NBA history – from 00 to 99 – and the Thunder duo is on it. […]

Adrian Peterson will rejoin his teammates at Minnesota Vikings voluntary organized team activities Tuesday morning, according to multiple reports.
The former OU running back told ESPN Tuesday morning “I’m returning because I want to. I’m a part of this football team and I owe it to the guys I play with and to our coaches.”
“I was planning on coming in this week, and I’m looking forward to getting back on the field. It’s what I love to do,” Peterson said.
Peterson did not report last week for the start of OTAs. In a statement released to ESPN , he said he did that not because he was trying to force a trade, but that it was “about securing my future with the Vikings.” In the statement, Peterson called his decision at the time "business, not personal." On the same day last week, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer told the media that Peterson had two choices when it came to the 2015 season: Play for the Vikings or not play at all .
Peterson's decision to come to OTAs for the first time this offseason comes days after he went on a rant via social media about the non-guaranteed status of NFL contracts. Per the Minnesota Star-Tribune , no changes have been made to the final three years, $44.25 million left on Peterson's non-guaranteed deal through 2017.
Peterson is back with the Vikings for the first time since his Sept. 12 indictment for injuring his son while disciplining him with a switch. Peterson missed 15 of 16 games in the 2014 season.

The Big 12 Conference has announced its television selections and designations for the first three weeks of the football season, as well as special dates. The conference announced the times and TV networks for a majority of its members’ non-conference games from Sept. 5-19. The Big 12 also announced TV listings and times for select […]

Is OU completely out of the picture for 2016 North Mesquite (Texas) offensive tackle Jean Delance?
Looks like it. Delance, who was at one time committed to OU, released a list of his top nine schools via Twitter, and Texas is the only Big 12 school to make the cut. Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, USC, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, and Texas A&M complete Delance's list of elite programs.
Delance, a four-star prospect, was the Sooners' first commitment from the Class of 2016, but decommitted in March following the leak of a cell phone video which had OU Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity members singing a racist song .
Delance and his mother explained his decision to decommit back in March.

Adrian Peterson isn’t at Vikings OTAs right now, and hasn’t been all week. He says it’s “business, not personal.” It sure seemed like more than just business when the former OU running back went off on a Twitter rant Thursday. I love people who think they know it all! Smh, Research how many NFL teams […]

Even before the news of Justice Hansen’s transfer Wednesday, Baker Mayfield looked to be the frontrunner for the OU quarterback job. And certainly Mayfield’s dance moves will play no part in his winning the gig over Cody Thomas and Trevor Knight, but OU receiver John Humphrey Jr. gave us a little glimpse of why Mayfield […]

The Oklahoman’s Darnell Mayberry, Anthony Slater, Jenni Carlson and Berry Tramel went in-depth following the Thunder season, touching on everything from report cards to roundtable discussions. Below is the list of Thunder season reviews for each player, including video analysis from Slater on each. Wednesday, May 13: Serge Ibaka Thursday, May 14: Andre RobersonFriday, May […]

Hey, check out this photo. That “old” guy in the background with the towel over his shoulders. Remember him? Why, that’s no other than former Thunder center Kendrick Perkins, who is going back to the NBA Finals for the fourth time in his career after the Cavs swept the Atlanta Hawks 4-0 in the Eastern […]

Anthony Kim has been mostly MIA from pro golf for the past few years, but that doesn't mean he's left golf altogether.
Playing in general has been in doubt for the former OU standout, but it looks like he's getting some work in for charity. The Oklahoman's Brandy McDonnell blogged last week about the 12th Annual Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic, which generated a record $1.2 million.
One of the live auction items? A golf outing with Kim valued at $24,500, with proceeds benefitting the Toby Keith Foundation and its efforts to build and support the OK Kids Korral, a cost-free home-away-from-home for pediatric cancer patients and their families.
Kim, who was photographed in April partying up in a Las Vegas nightclub , has rarely been seen in public, let alone on a professional golf course in recent years, but it's good to know he's giving back and swinging the clubs again.

Remember Owasso standout pitcher Dylan Bundy? Bundy was pretty much unhittable as a prep star for the Rams, winning Gatorade National Player of the Year honors as a senior and getting drafted No. 4 overall by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2011 MLB draft. He fasttracked to the majors, debuting as a 19-year-old in 2012, […]

Class move from new Thunder coach Billy Donovan. Donovan, the former University of Florida coach, took out a big full-page ad in the Gainesville (Fla.) Sun this weekend, thanking the fans, UF’s administration and community for their support during his 19 years on the job with the Gators. Donovan was introduced as Thunder coach earlier […]